MEXICO
Lessons for Mission Minded Kids
Lesson 1
Mae Royer’s Mexico
Mexico
Lesson 1: Mae Royer’s Mexico
Goals for Lesson 1:
· Children will be introduced to Mae Royer, our first E.C. worker in Mexico.
· Children will be introduced to Matthew 5:16, and understand that just like Mae, they can let their light shine before those around them.
· Children will begin to learn about the Mexican people; their lifestyle, their culture, and their need for Jesus.
Verse for Mexico:
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
Before Class:
· Read through lesson and decide what you will use according to your age group and time allotted.
· Make copies of coloring pages as needed.
· Prepare Mae Royer’s picture by putting it on a power point slide to show the children, or by backing it with sturdy paper for stability.
· Purchase small, inexpensive (key chain type or liquid crystal glow-stick) flashlights, one for each student. Bring a larger one from home for yourself. Make necessary preparations for darkening the room and producing your own light show, as described in the Lesson Plan. **If you purchase keychain lights (Oriental Trading has them), plan to keep them to use in Lesson 4. If you purchase glow-sticks, you will need to purchase a second batch for Lesson 4.
· Write the verse on a blackboard or poster board so that everyone can see it. Even if you have non-readers, it is important that they see the words and know that these are God’s words, taken from the Bible.
· Prepare materials for Mexican placemat, as described.
Lesson Plan:
· Open your time together with a brief prayer. (5 min.)
· Display verse so that everyone can see it. Darken the room as much as possible. Tell the children that the Bible tells us that people who do wrong things like to do them in the dark. Ask them why they think this is true. (People like to hide the wrong things they do because they are ashamed of them.) Then talk about good deeds and why they would not want to hide them in the dark. Talk about the idea that Jesus is the light of the world, and that our good deeds can be like lights, reflecting the light of Jesus. Tell them that the verse for Mexico tells us how to live our lives before everyone we meet. Shine your flashlight on the verse and read it out loud, pointing to each word as you say it. Talk about what it means to “let your light shine”, and sing “This Little Light of Mine” if it is age-appropriate. Have each child raise their hand and tell the group one good thing they could do. As each child has a turn, give them a small flashlight. When everyone has a flashlight, tell them to listen carefully to the directions you give, as they are going to put on a light show. If possible, have everyone sit or lay on the floor. Give the following directions: (15-20 min.)
Shine your light in the center of the ceiling. Now shine your light in all the corners of the room, twice. Now point your light at the verse. Let’s say it together. Draw a star with your light. Pretend to paint a wall with your light. Now point your light at the verse. Let’s say it together. Point your light on the floor and make the light move like ocean waves. Now shine your lights every which way. Now shine your lights on the verse. Let’s say it together one last time.
· Turn on the lights and have everyone return to their original seats for the rest of the lesson. Read or tell the story part of the lesson, showing the picture as indicated, and stopping to explain or answer questions as necessary. (15-20 min.)
· Clear a work area on the floor or on tables, and pass out the materials for the placemat. Explain that many native people in Mexico still weave their own rugs, mats and blankets, using reeds, grasses or colorful yarns. Even young children will be able to weave a colorful mat. If a younger student is having trouble, pair them up with an older student, or someone who gets done with theirs quickly. You can choose whether or not to cover them with clear contact paper, either just on the front, or on both sides. You may want to plan to keep them to use for your fiesta in Lesson 4. (15-20 min.)
· Use the coloring sheets for those who finish their mats quickly, or send them home as a reminder of Mae Royer’s brave journey into the heart of Mexico as a young lady riding on a burro. (5-10 min.)
Lesson 1 Story: Mae Royer’s Mexico
It was 1939 and a young nurse named Mae Royer was beginning what would be a lifetime of work among the poorest people in Mexico. Mae had grown up as the oldest of six children in Lancaster County, PA. She was a member of an E.C. church there, and as a young girl, had felt God calling her to serve his needy people in Mexico. Mae had attended nursing school in Philadelphia, missionary training in New York, and then a Wycliffe training course in Arkansas. Now she was riding a burro sixteen miles into the heart of the mountains of Mexico to bring a medical clinic and the gospel of Jesus to the native Aztec Indians living in the remote village of Chapulhuacanito (cha-pull-hwa-con-ee-toe).
In the 1940’s, when Mae first went to Mexico, there were no roads to such remote places, just muddy burro paths through the tropical forests and through the sometimes flooded streams. Many tropical animals like parrots, monkeys and snakes lived in those forests, along with the native Indian people who had lived there for many hundreds of years. In Chapulhuacanito, Mae lived in a little mud hut with a thatched roof, and her living room was the clinic where people came for treatment. She would often ride her burro around the mountains visiting sick patients and helping to lead evangelistic meetings. The only connection to the outside world was the radio and letters which could be sent over the mountains on burros.
Mae spent six years in this little Indian village, teaching the people about hygiene and nutrition and Jesus. She made many friends and saved many lives in that time, but because her chronic malaria continued to worsen, her doctor told her she would have to move out of the tropical area of Mexico, or the malaria would eventually kill her.
Mexico at that time was filled with many Indian tribes, including the remaining ancestors of the ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations. Since the country had been ruled by Spain for hundreds of years before gaining its independence, many Spanish Europeans had intermarried with the Indians, creating a large population of mestizos (people of mixed Spanish and Indian blood) who spoke Spanish. Spanish had become the official national language, but many Indian tribes still spoke their own languages and kept their own customs.
The Spanish rulers had brought Roman Catholicism to Mexico and made it the national religion. Although there were established Christian churches in many parts of Mexico when Mae arrived, she soon found that there was a constant friction between the Spanish speakers and those who spoke the native Indian languages, and between the Catholic people and the Christians. Many Christians at that time were persecuted and not allowed to live and worship in peace. Gangs of robbers and even government armies often attacked Christians and destroyed their homes and churches, making it very dangerous to be a Christian in some areas of Mexico.
In 1945, Mae moved to the little town of Zimapan, (ZEE-mah-pahn) just north of Mexico City. This area was not as tropical, although still high in the mountains. In Zimapan, God allowed Mae to open a Home for Needy Children, providing a large old dilapidated house on a large plot of land. With help from many, Mae began to rebuild the house, and eventually built a church on that property. Orphaned and abandoned children started to show up at the door of the half-built house, and before it was even finished, there were twelve children living with Mae. Although they had very little, God always supplied, and soon they were caring for over forty children who needed a home and the love of Christ.
About 15 years went by before Mae once again was in danger because of her health. This time it was her heart. The doctor said that she would have a heart attack if she didn’t move away from the thin air of the mountains. This time, a friend found a ranch in the hot, dry desert area of northern Mexico and asked her to move her children there. She would be out of the dangerously thin air, and she would be closer to the United States. By this time, many of the E.C. churches were taking a close interest in Mae and the children in her home, and wanted to be more involved in her work.
So, in 1960, Mae’s Home for Needy Children moved north to the ranch near Monterrey. It became “El Retiro Juvenil” (the Children’s Retreat). (Show picture of Mae Royer from the lesson cover) Mae spent the rest of her life caring for these children, planting churches, and helping people wherever she was. Mae has gone on to Heaven now, but the Light of Jesus she brought with her to Mexico is still shining through the many people she led to Christ. The people of Mexico need the Light of the World. Mae wasn’t afraid to let her light shine through her good works, and God has used her life to bring good to many Mexican people, and to bring glory and praise to Himself. Just like Mae, God can use your life to shine the Light of Jesus to those who need to know Him, and bring glory to Himself through your good works.
Mexican Place MatsThis craft offers children an opportunity to learn the basics of weaving.
Many native people use weaving in Mexico today to make baskets, mats, blankets and clothing for their daily use, and to sell in the marketplaces.
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Materials:
· scissors
· glue
· ruler
· pencil
· one 18" x 12" piece of construction paper for each mat.
- this larger piece will become the background color for the placemat
· 16 strips of construction paper for each mat, in a single color or multiple colors
- these strips should be 1 inch wide by 12 inches long
· Optional: clear contact paper.
Instructions:
· Take the large piece of construction paper and fold it in half across the width.
· Along the open edge, use a ruler and pencil to make one line, 1 inch from the edge of the paper.
· Draw lines one inch apart down the length of the paper, along the folded edge.
· With the paper still folded and starting at the fold, cut along the lines being careful to stop at the line, which is one inch from the open edge.
· Unfold the paper to reveal the loom that you have created.
· Weave the one inch strips through the loom. If you are using multiple colors be sure to alternate them for the most colorful effect.
· Glue the ends of the strips to the edges of the loom to hold them in place.
OPTIONAL:
- Use clear contact paper to 'laminate' one or both sides of the placemat to extend its life. /